RedRock

Yes, we’ve reached a cross-roads. For those referring to The Bears and The Flyers, both those teams are failing this season, both prone to the ‘snatching defeat from the jaws of victory’ syndrome. Do I blame the owners for the lack of ‘killing instinct’, the absence of a ruthless streak that seemingly pervades the ethos of not just Bristol City, but the entire Bristol Sport empire. Um, without doubt an organisation takes on the characteristics of the leader. Our leader(s) are mostly absent and are ‘good people’. So there could be some merit in that argument. However, there are plenty of absent and some ‘good people’ owners in the Premiership and Championship. So I wouldn’t use that as a strong argument to base our the Club’s failings on. Possibly a ‘bit unhelpful’ would be the strongest weight I’d place on that argument. Without doubt the Lansdown’s have made big mistakes in appointments and became meddlers in the running of the football side of the Club. I think they’ve recognised those past mistakes and have backed off ‘day to day’ dealings and meddling with the football-side of the Club. So while in the past blame could be laid at their door, much less so now. Seems to me the Lansdown’s have told the CEO and Manager ‘right, you have some of the best infrastructure -the HPC, the Academy, the Stadium - in the Championship, you’ve a free reign on appointing your own coaches, fitness, medic staff and players (can you believe the Lansdown’s thought Simpson was a good idea!) you now set the culture, the standards and go and deliver’. OK we’re broke - like many other Clubs - and had a squad not ‘fit for purpose’. Granted then there were/are constraints, but many of our competitors are operating in a similar or worse environment. Pearson has had, what 12+ months to progress ‘his’ project. I was, and remain a supporter, however I am beginning to waver. Ok, we don’t hear what’s going on between the owners and manager and their could have been a series of legitimate ‘triggers’ to yesterday’s comments. It did, seem, however to be a case of deflecting the blame. Not a good look in the circumstances for me. After 12 months, I would - as a minimum - be expecting a manager to have evolved a team to have a ‘winning mentality’ culture, to have some leaders, to be fit, powerful, athletic. To have a plan, shape, identity. We’re a shambles. It is a managers responsibility to set the culture, standards, install belief, develop a plan and strategy. These are basics and we, seemingly, are miles off. Indeed, little further forward than when Pearson took over, despite his signings both on and off the pitch - none of whom of which have seemed to have ‘added value’ which, for me, is probably the greatest disappointment of his reign to date. Worrying times indeed. A time to be for the Club to be united, not fractured.

‘Passive’, ‘soft’, ‘losers’ all words that are regularly used by the ITK posters on here to describe our players, squad, Club. Glad Pearson has somewhat belatedly identified a core issue. I’d prefer Bradley Dack’s (rejected), the Luke Ayling’s (moved on) of this world who consistently deliver, to the ‘good humans’ who consistently fail to deliver.

I thought I remembered a ‘4’ as well. … and on goal-keeper chants of the day (slightly later admittedly) “Mellor, Mellor double-top”. The actual act to which the chant related obviously not condoned - to say the least (having been a keeper myself).

Loathed to add SL to that list, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to realise that with the football development strategy he had in place the lack of an experienced Director of Football, a Chief Scout and a Scouting System worthy of its name we were doomed. Much to applaud SL for, Club investment, stadium rebuild, Bristol Sport vision etc but staffing structures ain’t his strong card.

WESt Ham

Plymouth ArGYLE West Bromwich ALBIon

As I was saying, wouldn’t be an automatic selection in Pearson’s mind. Martin would have buried that.

Nah, make him fight for his place!

At least Abramovich won’t be sacking the manager in the morning! Real Madrid looking slick and strong atm. Benzema is, indeed, a class act. Two sublime headers. Wonder if we should put an offer in?

Yeah, but…… Flinty at centre-forward! Agree though, each role on a football pitch requires application of a different set of mental and physical abilities. Few, certainly at Championship level, can effectively adapt between forward and defensive roles. Surprised tbh that Pearson thought a raw youth with little experience in his favoured position could go from a forward to wing back role, particularly when pitched against a quality opponent. Even more baffling when we all know our ‘midfield’ is sub-standard with its own issues. For Pearson to ask them to afford protection to the inexperienced wing-back when they’re struggling to form anything resembling an effective unit was/is a bit bonkers.

Was that Ray Cashley reference related to my post? If so, my reference was just a generalisation, not specific to Bell. That decision was a bit bonkers frankly (hence my reference to some bizarre selections by Pearson in another thread). Can only assume Pearson had tested Bell in that defensive role against CoD in training and Bell did enough to convince the manager he could play in that position. Unfortunately, most opposition players pose a greater challenge than CoD, as Pearson found out against Brum.

Agree with most of that, but you may be seriously under-estimating Ashton’s role in our demise. Of course, we don’t know how much Ashton was ‘controlled’ by SL. It could be given SLs silence over Ashton - aside from praising his input to the Training Complex - that the former CEO received quite a few orders from our owner.

How was that not a penalty? Game’s gone.

Wasn’t Harry Kane a keeper? I did the same transition from keeper to striker and it gives you an unbelievable advantage as you can pretty accurately second-guess what the keeper is going to do. The number of ‘chipped’ goals I scored was unbelievable. You know when the keeper is ‘getting set’ and you just work him in that split second. Simples (at least at pub league standard!). Think Ray Cashley went from full-back to keeper.

Still in the Pearson camp but would have expected to be in significantly better shape than we are on the field. The prime objective for the season of transformation within the division, as opposed to our usual approach of regrouping in League One, has more or less now been achieved. I’m still struggling though to observe any identity, partnerships, fighting or, to be frank, any other footballing qualities or patterns of play. Even our youngsters seem to have lost their way a little after bright starts. Our injury record is as bad as ever, and we just don’t seem to have the power, passion or performance levels of other teams - issues Pearson said he would address. We also have no ******* scouting system worthy of its name, something a football- man like Pearson I would have thought would be a top priority. Somewhat bizarre team selections and substitutions make one feel a bit uneasy too. Just hoping this season is not a ‘stay of execution’, as opposed to building the foundations of a sustained challenge for the top ten. Interesting and worrying times.

Wow, that’s a co-incidence. Was down there over the weekend and was surprised to see Bitton playing in such a ‘remote’ location. From the Exeter area it’s a trip and a half. From Bristol, struth! Don’t think those who plan these leagues have a clue of how far West Cornwall is away from Exeter, let alone Bristol.

Just watched bits of it. Think we can be thankful we won’t get promoted as we’d get stuffed every week in the Premier. Big pitch where we could’ve strut our stuff. We didn’t turn up and to be brutally honest, looked like a bunch of disorganised show ponies.

Jesz. Taylor Hawkins. Can’t quite believe that. Had everything. A great talent and seemed such a grounded bloke.

I think, is it 5 years now?, under 3 different managers (plus caretakers) is sufficient - even for cosy club Bristol City - to make a judgement on a player. Frankly, a number of fans had made their judgements well before Mark ****** Ashton renewed his contract. Clearly, is now following the well trodden path of players running down their contracts. Tried the engagement ‘in the crowd at Reading’, the interview saying how settled in Bristol he was… didn’t work, so now the long injury lay-off and, probably, a couple of sub appearances before he buggers off to Ipswich on a ‘free’. Not one of Mr Lansdown’s shrewdest investments.

How many of us were banging on about a Director of Football under the MA/LJ/DH era? How many saying we needed a decent scouting network under an experienced, qualified Head Scout. Would love to say it’s just a case of ‘false economy’ but it seems to run far deeper than that. What I don’t get is one year on into NP’s reign we are still hopelessly weak in this area. I fully get that purse strings have been tightened, but the cost of say Simpson, spent on a decent scout who can have at least started to build the foundations of professional scouting system would have been money far, far better spent. Beyond bizarre.

Nailed on Ipswich ….. MA to rekindle their relationship. We’ve done some incredible ‘try before we buy’ deals - Palmer is standout, but CoD’s re-signing takes the biscuit. Unfortunately, MAs nice chaps or ‘good humans’ don’t automatically make good Championship footballers. Thought the transformation from ‘cosy club’ to ‘competitive club’ was going to happen last summer… this summer is better late than never.

Frighteningly predictable. There has to be a solution to this issue. Anyhows, a point.

I think the squad were embarrassed by the inept performance at Barnsley and will show their true character and identity today. Reckon, in celebration of his extended contract, that was clearly consuming all his thoughts at Barnsley, Martin will score a hat-trick and be unplayable. Our defence will be rock-solid impenetrable and midfield will play their opponents off the park showing real grit, energy and aggression. Comfortable 3-0, and safety.

No idea how the charging system works nowadays. Assume you can catch a bus and get off at the first stop if they are monitoring people leaving the site on foot. Has and, by the looks of things, will always be a monument to the ineptness of public and private sector interests in and around Bristol. Can’t think of any other City, Town, Hamlet in the entire Country that would have a massive car park lie idle which is located a stones throw from a a major entertainment venue. Thought the idea of having a mayor was to bang thick heads together and solve issues like this….clearly, he is as thick as the rest of them involved in this long -running farce. You would have thought officialdom would have flagged up these new parking restrictions. Probably the ‘can’t be arsed’ attitude that applies to resolving the LA park and ride applies equally to all parking matters associated with the use of the stadium.

Still, pretty solidly, in the pro-Pearson camp. However, could we have utilised our available resources better - could another manager have got a tune out of Palmer? Could another manager have adapted our style to utilise Wells better? Questionable. They certainly have been a massive waste of transfer fees and salaries. Could/should the top priority have been sorting out a scouting system fit for purpose. In my view, yes. Has he played players unwisely, whether when coming back from injury or due to age. Again yes. Have some of his substitutions been questionable. Yep. Have a good number of his signings failed to deliver. Yep. Has our injury record been as bad as ever. Yep. Are we as inconsistent collectively and individually as ever. Yep. Have we developed leaders, fighters, winners. Nope. Are we mostly a disorganised mess, lacking in identity and a recognisable game plan? Fear so. Bottom line though, we are (nearly) safe. Pretty low bar, admittedly in terms of ‘achievement’ but hey, we are where we are. Thanks MA/LJ. What a mess they left.